


The Power of Speech

by GothicDeetz



Series: Maitland-Deetz One Shots [25]
Category: Beetlejuice - All Media Types, Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown & King
Genre: Dead People, Demon Powers, Demons, Dogs, F/M, Families of Choice, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Issues, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Found Family, Gen, Ghosts, Good Demons, Martha Speaks References, Mother Figures, Multi, One Big Happy Family, Pets, Shock, Step-parents, Surprises, Talking, Talking Animals, Talking To Dead People
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:01:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23825725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicDeetz/pseuds/GothicDeetz
Summary: Betelgeuse temporarily gives Lydia’s dog the ability to talk.
Relationships: Adam Maitland & Original Character(s), Adam Maitland/Barbara Maitland, Barbara Maitland & Original Character(s), Beetlejuice & Charles Deetz & Delia Deetz & Lydia Deetz & Adam Maitland & Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice & Lydia Deetz, Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice) & Original Character(s), Charles Deetz & Original Character(s), Charles Deetz/Delia Deetz, Delia Deetz & Original Character(s), Lydia Deetz & Original Character(s)
Series: Maitland-Deetz One Shots [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668409
Kudos: 10





	The Power of Speech

Betelgeuse appeared all of a sudden in the Maitland-Deetz house, causing Lydia to look up from where she was sitting - with her dog, Ghost - and greet him with a smile on her face.

“Hi, Betelgeuse,” she said, “what brings you here?”

“Oh nothing,” came the demon’s response. He gazed down towards Lydia’s dog, who was now staring at him and starting to bark, and asked, “who’s this?”

“That’s my new pet dog, Ghost,” Lydia calmly explained, “I got her a couple days ago.”

“I see. You know, things would be so much more better and more interesting if she could talk just like us.” He focused his attention on the tv, turning it on and changing the channels before stopping on a kid’s show about a talking dog. “Much like the talking dog in this show,” Betelgeuse added, pointing to the screen.

“Whatever.” Lydia groaned as Betelgeuse turned the tv off and refocused his attention back towards her. “please don’t give Ghost the ability to talk. I don’t think we can handle a talking dog,” Lydia added.

“But it’ll be fun.” Before Lydia could provide an answer, Betelgeuse stepped over towards the center of the living room and pointed his hands out towards the dog in front of him. Lydia was about to protest but stopped suddenly when a flash of light shot out of Betelgeuse’s hands and hit Lydia’s dog. Ghost whimpered and Lydia face palmed.

“Betelgeuse, what did you do?” Lydia grumbled. But she already knew the answer.

“Gave your dog the ability to speak.” The demon grinned. “What else?”

Lydia couldn’t help herself but face palm again. She flinched when she heard at least one word come out her dog’s muzzle.

“Hi.”

Lydia couldn’t help but scream, Betelgeuse catching her from behind as she fell. The shock from hearing Ghost speak washed over Lydia when the rest of the family rushed in to see what was the matter.

They stopped and stared when Ghost turned her head and spoke again, “hello.”

“What just happened?” was all Barbara could say as she, Adam, Charles, and Delia processed the situation.

“Betelgeuse happened,” Lydia grumbled and Betelgeuse laughed sheepishly.

The rest of the family glared at the demon. They so weren’t prepared to have a talking dog.

___________

The Maitland-Deetz family looked between Ghost and Betelgeuse a few times, unsure of what to think. They now had a talking dog and they did not know what to think. 

Ghost looked up at all of them and spoke up again.”Why is everybody looking at me like that?” she asked.

Charles bent down to pet her. “Well it’s just...it’s a little unusual to even have a talking dog. That’s usually something that doesn’t happen.”

“I like talking though,” Ghost whined sadly, backing away from Charles. Ghost’s tail was between her legs. “Talking is fun,” Ghost added. 

Charles stood up again and turned to face the rest of the family. “How long do you guys think we can handle a talking dog?”

“Probably not that long,” came Barbara’s response. “I don’t think I can take much more of this.”

The rest of the family agreed and Lydia focused her attention on Betelgeuse. “Could you reverse what you did to my dog?” she asked.

“No.” Betelgeuse laughed. “A talking dog is so much fun.”

“Now!” Lydia demanded, folding her arms and glaring at him. Betelgeuse frowned and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Oh...alright fine.” Turning his attention over towards Ghost, Betelgeuse’s hands glowed again and hit Ghost. Again, Ghost whimpered.

As soon as it appeared, the flash of light disappeared and Ghost barked. The rest of the family turned to look at Betelgeuse and Lydia smiled. 

“Thanks, Betelgeuse,” Lydia said.

“Don’t mention it,” was all the demon could say.

“And please don’t ever give my dog the ability to speak ever again,” Lydia added with a sigh. “I don’t think I’d want to deal with her being able to speak for the rest of my life.”

“I won’t!” Betelgeuse lied. He smirked at Lydia as he again hit Ghost with a flash of light.

“BETELGEUSE!” everyone else shouted at once.

“What?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for this story came from a show I used to watch as a child: Martha Speaks.


End file.
